USTDA Partners with Bulgaria on Nuclear Safety

Arlington, VA - Today, U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Enoh T. Ebong signed a grant agreement with the Bulgarian government for a feasibility study to support the safe underground disposal of spent fuel from the country's nuclear power plants. California-based Deep Isolation US LLC will carry out and cost share the study, which will focus on its pioneering deep borehole technology.

"Bulgaria is prioritizing safety measures that will allow it to expand its nuclear power generation capacity," said Director Ebong. "Using cutting-edge U.S. technology to create a safe long-term disposal option for spent fuel can also open the door to additional plants being built. USTDA's support for this project is a continuation of our longstanding engagement with the country's nuclear energy sector."

The USTDA-funded study will evaluate the feasibility of disposing spent fuel from existing and future power plants inside boreholes that are located a kilometer or more below ground. The project follows on a decades-long history of USTDA support for nuclear energy in Bulgaria, including studies in the 1990s that led to the deployment of U.S. technologies that strengthened the reliability and safety of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant.

Sergey Tzochev, Head of the Board of Directors for State Enterprise Radioactive Waste (SERAW), signed the grant agreement on behalf of the Bulgarian government and commented: "Partnering with Deep Isolation represents a step toward our long-term vision of exploring innovative and sustainable approaches for the safe management of radioactive waste, based on the latest advancements in science and technology."

"I am delighted that SERAW has contracted Deep Isolation to undertake a feasibility study on the use of our unique patented solution for deep borehole disposal to deliver safe, permanent disposal of the current and anticipated inventory of radioactive waste for geologic disposal in Bulgaria," said Rod Baltzer, CEO of Deep Isolation. "I am grateful to the U.S. Trade and Development Agency for the financial support it has offered to this initiative, in recognition of the high-value jobs and export opportunities that deep borehole disposal will create for our U.S. supply chain."

"Today's signing of this contract for a prefeasibility study is in continuation of the strategic partnership between the Bulgarian Government and the United States. USTDA's study will be crucial for the Bulgarian strategy for integrated management of radioactive waste," said Vladimir Malinov, Bulgaria's Minister of Energy.

Kenneth Merten, U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria, added: "The United States is delighted to support this study, which is the latest step in our ongoing cooperation towards developing Bulgaria's nuclear power sector. Developing safe, environmentally friendly spent-fuel storage capacity is critical for Bulgaria to realize its goals of becoming a regional energy hub."

USTDA's assistance advances the European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019, which prioritizes assistance to develop energy infrastructure in Europe and Eurasia, and the 2024 U.S.-Bulgaria Intergovernmental Agreement outlining cooperation on the development of Bulgaria's civil nuclear power program.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

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